Community mourns passing of Det. John Ruane

The community helped Ruane purchase a handicap-accessible van through the sale of ‘copcakes’ at Honey Dew Donuts.

There are heavy hearts across Canton and throughout the local police family following the death of Det. John Ruane III last Tuesday, July 18, at the age of 55.

A lifelong resident and Canton High School graduate, Ruane spent the bulk of his adult life in service to others, first as a proud member of the U.S. Army — where he would meet his wife, Renee — and later as a 28-year veteran of his hometown police force.

“Johnny always kept his eye on the ball at work,” recalled Police Chief Helena Rafferty, a contemporary and longtime friend of Ruane’s. “He was detailed, determined and dedicated. He was a trendsetter in the area of financial crimes, building relationships with lending institutions and law enforcement agencies who oversaw these types of crimes. He introduced us to the software that allowed us to see what pawn shops were purchasing, so that we could compare the items to those stolen from business owners and residents in our community.”

Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who both served stints as chief, Ruane joined the ranks of the CPD in the early 1990s, starting out as a patrolman on the midnight shift. He would eventually make detective, and much like he did when he starred on the mound for the Bulldogs, Ruane, according to Rafferty, used an assortment of “knuckleballs and sinkers to solve every case that came his way.”

Recalling Ruane’s fun-loving side, Rafferty said many officers remember him showing up to the annual Police Wives Association Halloween Party every year dressed as a hobo. “We remember potato sack races and tug o’ war battles at the police family cookout that was held on the old Instron property,” she added. “When we say his name, the image of that million-watt smile accompanied by an audible echo of his hearty laugh rushes to each of our minds.”

At the same time, Rafferty said Ruane was serious when the moment called for it and was “always there to lend a helping hand.”

Since Ruane’s passing last week, Rafferty said she’s received many emails and texts about the much-loved detective. One email commented on how “great” Ruane was when the individual was dealing with domestic violence issues. “Johnny helped me tremendously over the years,” shared another. “He was always there to answer my questions and was so genuinely interested in what I do. He was there for me when my life got hard. He was a voice of reason, a good ear when I needed it. Johnny was always quick to call me out on my BS — he was the kind of friend that you’re lucky to have and everyone should try to be.”

The Canton community was therefore understandably devastated when news of his brain cancer diagnosis surfaced in 2018. Rafferty, borrowing another baseball term, described it as the “greatest pickle of his life.” And yet despite receiving a poor prognosis, Ruane faced the challenge head-on, attacking his treatment with a fierce determination while never losing his trademark sense of humor.

“We’re all just playing off of his attitude, which is very positive,” said his wife, Renee, during a 2018 interview with the Citizen.

Throughout his illness, Renee became his primary caregiver and his advocate, meeting with doctors and educating herself on treatment options, while also doing her best to keep her perpetually active husband “in check.”

The community would also rally to his aide, organizing a number of different fundraisers to help offset his mounting medical expenses. They even pitched in to purchase him a handicap-accessible van, raising tens of thousands of dollars through the sale of “copcakes” at Honey Dew Donuts on Neponset Street to ensure he had proper transportation to his doctors’ appointments.

Det. Ruane with his sons Trevor and John IV

In a 2018 interview, Ruane said he was fortunate to have the support of so many wonderful friends, loved ones and colleagues, who would “line up at the door” to offer him rides or assistance. And when his condition ultimately forced him into an early retirement in 2020, hundreds came out to offer him well-wishes at his retirement party.

“I just want everyone to know how grateful I am,” he told the Citizen on the eve of a fundraiser held in his honor. “I know there are other people out there who are in far worse positions than I am, but it means so much to get this type of support. You don’t realize how much you’ve affected people in a positive way, and then you see a response like this and it’s just incredible.”

As his health deteriorated in recent weeks, Rafferty said that Ruane underscored that the real diamond in his life was Renee. “1,440 minutes a day she gave of herself making sure he was taken care of, comfortable, clean and shaven, fed, all while constantly rubbing his head or kissing his cheek so he would know she was near,” Rafferty said. “When I commented on that, she simply replied of her selflessness, ‘It is a labor of love.’ Their devotion and love for each other is the very definition of a perfect game.”

Continuing the baseball analogy in her funeral remarks, Rafferty noted that the arrival of his two sons, John IV and Trevor, and the joy he got from watching them grow up and witnessing their accomplishments, constituted the “grand slam of his life.”

Rafferty said Ruane was lucky enough to build his “Field of Dreams” in the town where he was born and raised. “He passed away in the home that he grew up in and raised his children in that same home,” noted the chief. “He coached his boys in sports and was actively engaged in every aspect of their life — a tough balance when you work as many hours as he did during those early years. He was so proud when John traveled to Michigan for baseball and Trevor got the nod from Northeastern.”

“You built it, Johnny, and we came,” Rafferty concluded. “We observed as spectators in the bleachers, while you created this incredible life. You have a family that adores you, friends who admire you and will always be inspired by you, and a legacy that will carry on through your beautiful sons. We were hoping for a save but we didn’t get it — sometimes life is just not fair. While you did not have as many games played as you should have, man, did you hit some moonshots in the innings you played!”

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Posted by Jay Turner on Jul 28 2023. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.